Pirates coach Ouaddou pleads ignorance about Mbokazi’s reported move to the US

Orlando Pirates coach Abdeslam Ouaddou has pleaded ignorance about the widely reported move by Bafana Bafana defender Mbekezeli Mbokazi to Major League Soccer (MLS) side Chicago Fire in the US.

There has been speculation over the past few days about Mbokazi’s reported move to America, but Ouaddou said he doesn’t know about it and the emerging defender is his player.

Ouaddou was speaking at Orlando Stadium after Pirates beat Chippa United 2-0 on Tuesday night to draw level with leaders Mamelodi Sundowns on 25 points at the top of the Betway Premiership standings.

The Buccaneers remain in second place on goal difference (+11 to +13) to the record eight-time successive champion Brazilians, but have a game in hand having played 11 to Downs’ 12.

Asked about Mbokazi after Pirates’ last match of the year at Orlando Stadium as the league takes an early break ahead of next month’s Africa Cup of Nations kickoff in Morocco, Ouaddou said the defender was not in the match day squad because he is rotating players.

“I am not aware of this news. For me Mbokazi is in my group,” he said after the win secured via goals by substitute attackers Evidence Makgopa and Oswin Appollis in the second half as Pirates again showed their strength from the bench.

“The reason he was not in the team is because I rotate players. He is one of the most important players in my group. He is with me, he is my player and that’s it.”

The win over Chippa also saw the return to the match day squad of Nigerian defender Olisa Ndah and midfielder Makhehlene Makhaula, who missed the start of the season with long-term injuries.

Ndah was an unused substitute but Makhaula made his long-awaited return when he replaced Thalente Mbatha after the hour mark to raucous applause from the supporters.

“When you have all these big names coming back to increase depth in the team, it makes it difficult for me to make choices. But I prefer it that way than not to have enough players to choose from.

“It is important to have Ndah and Makhaula back and I want to thank the medical department. When somebody is injured for a long time, you must work with them physically and mentally and the medical team did a fantastic job for us to be able to use him [Makhaula] in the match.

“Every morning when he comes to the change room, he squeezes my hand hard when he greets me and says, ‘Coach I am here and ready’. I am happy for him to be back on the pitch and you can feel the love he got from the fans when he went on.

“Ndah is also coming back after a long injury and I am happy for them.”